Valve construction



April 10,1928. 1,665,436

L. BLOCH VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 50. 1926 I N VEN TOR.

Leon Bloch ATTQR Y5.

Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,665,436 PATENT ()FFICE.

LEON 121x003, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORVTO THE "REPUBLIC OFCLEVELAND,care, A conroaarron on 01110.

BRASS COMPANY,

VALVE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed November 30, 1926. Serial liTo. 151,699.

The present invention, relating as indicated to valve construction, ismore particularly directed to an improved valve for use in connectionwith bath tubs, showers and the like where the valve mechanism is disposed within the wall, the stem of the valve only extending beyond thewall line and being ordinarily covered by means of a suitable plate orescutcheon. One of the princi pal objects of the invention is theprovision in a valve intended for the purpose indicated of means forvarying the length of the extending portion of the valvestem inorder toprovide for various mountings of the valve mechanism proper with respectto the wall and various wall thicknesses and to avoid the necessity forthe use of special covering plates or escutcheons. Other objects of theinvention will appear hereinafter.

To the accomplishmentof the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then,con sists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying theinvention, such disclosed means constituting, however, butone of variousmechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through myimproved valve mechanism; Fig. 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scaleshowing the valve stem in a different relationship to the valvestructure and with the valve in a different relationship to the wall;and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

In cases where water supply pipes are laid in vertical walls, as forexample where the pipes are led up either to faucets or directed into atub or shower spray or the like, the stems of the valves for controllingsuch pipes are usually projected through holes cut in the wall, theholes then being covered by escutcheons which are mounted on the exposedportion of the valve stems. In such constructions it is practicallyimpossible to install the pipes at a given distance from the outersurface of the Wall through which the valve stems are to'project, and asa result it is necessary to provide escutcheons having diiferent lateraldepths to bring the escutcheon to a point sufficiently close to thehandles of the valve stem to give a sightly appearance. In the past'anadjustment has been provided but it has been found impossible to securethe range of position required with an adjustment of the type so farused, and the purpose of the present invention isto provide additionalmeans for varying the position of the extending portion of the valvestem to permit of the use of a standard size of escutcheon with a closeand accurate adjustment of the stem with respect thereto, and at thesame time to permit this adjustmentto be made after the valve has beeninstalled. 1

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a conduit 1 in which thereisdisposed a valve casing 2 having alate'ral extension 3, in which iscarried a valve seat 4 and a valve 5 secured to a valve stem 6. Thevalve stem 6 is provided with an enlarged portion having threads 7engaging within a corresponding threaded portion 8 in the extension 3.EX- tending upwardly from the enlargedportion is a second reducedportion 9 of the stem on which is snugly fitted a threaded nut 10' whichengages within a corresponding threaded portion 11 at the outer end-ofthe casing 3. Between the nut 10 and the flanged end of the casing isthe usual washer 12. The valve as thus far described is of standardconstruction.

The stem 9 of the valve extends beyond the end of the extension 3through an aperture 13 formed in the adjacent wall 14 and carries on itsend an operating handle 15, the opening in the wall being covered bymeans of an escutcheon 16 provided with a central opening engagingloosely over the stem 9. It will be readily understood that the lengthof the extendingportion 9 of the valve stem beyond the wall 14 dependsupon the posi-v tion of the pipe 1 with respect to the wall for anygiven size of stem.

I provide a means for varying the length of the extending portion of thestem by forming the parts-6 and 9 of the valve stem separately, coringthe portion 6 to receive the extending portion 9 of the stem with anonrota'table engagement between the two portions and then providingmeans for locking the two portions together in any desired position,this means consisting of a nut 18 provided with threading bothexternally and internally, the internal threading engaging withthreading .19 on the stem 9 and the external threading engaging withcomplement'ary threading 20 on the inside ofthe stem 6.

The non-rotatable engagement between the two portions of the stem may besecured in any suitable manner, and in Fig. 3 I have shown one form ofsuch an engagement, consisting of a flattened portion 21 formed on theinner stem'9 and a locking pin 22 engaged with the outer stem 6 and withthe flattened portion of the inner stem. The pin 22 may be secured fromrotation within the bore of stem 6 by welding or some similar method. y

T he operation of my improved means for varying the position or the stemwill be readily understood. After the outer stem 6' is positioned in theextension 3 the inner or projecting portion of the stem 9 may be movedto any desired position with respect to the inner stem, after which thenut 18 is turned down until it engages with the threading 20 on theouter stem when, by reason of such engagementit locks the inner stem tothe outer stem. This adjustment may or course be efi'ected after theinstallation of the valve and even though the lines may be in service,since the valve 5 is maintained in engagement with the seat by reason ofthe threads 7 and 8 on the stem and on the casing extension 3. it a Iprovide a further adjustment consisting of a cap 25 adapted to fitsnugly about the extending portion 9 of the stem and having an extension26 fitting inthe opening inthe escutcheon16. This extension 26 isthreaded internally and receives an externally threaded tube 27 whichengageswith corresponding internal threading in the locking cap or nut28 at the outer end of the extension 3, this cap 28 being turned downwithin the nut 10 to compress a washer 29 snugly about the stem. 9.

The present valve thus presents two inde pendent means for varying thelength of the extending portion of the valve stem and a veryconsiderable"variation in the-extension can be secured by these twomeans which makes it possible to care for all sorts of work with asingle standard escutcheon. The valve construction proper is unchangedby reason of .myfimprovements andboth of the adjustments maybe madeafter the valve has been installed and from the inside of the roomintdwhich the stems are to project, which greatly facilitatesth'einstalling and proper adjustment of these fixtures.

Other modes of applying the principle of my-invention may be employedinstead of the oneex plained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided themeans stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore parti i1larly point outiand dis' tinctly claim as myinvention 1. In a valvestructurgthe combination of a valve casing havingan extension, a

valve in said casing, a-stem for operating said valve, said stem beingdisposed in said extension an auxiliary stem non-rotatably securedwithin said first-named stem, and means for varying the relativelongitudinal positions of said first-named stem and said auxiliary stem.i

2. In a valve structure, the combination of a valve casing having anextension, a valve in said casing, astem for operating said valvedisposed in said extension, said stem being formed with a hollow endportion, an auxiliary valve stem engaged within the 1101- low portionof'said first-named stem and being longitudinally adjustable therein,means for variously posltioning such aux1l-- iary stem longitudinallywith respect to said first-named stem, 'said means consisting of anelement having threaded engagement with said main and auxiliary stems.

3. In a valve structure, the combination of a valve casing having anextension, a valve disposed in said casing, a main stem for operatingsaid valve movably disposed and entirely wlthin said extension, anauxiliary stem projecting beyond the end of said extension and havlng anon-rotatable engagement within sa d mam stem, but being longitudinallymovable with respect thereto, means for variously positioning saidauxiliary stem withrespect tosaid main stem, an escutcheon disposedabout said auxiliary stem, and means for securing said escutcheon tosaid extension.

4:. In a valve structure, the combination of a valve casing having anextension, a valve in ,said casing, a stem for operating said valvemovably mounted in said extension, said stem being provided with ahollow central portion having its outer end of enlarged diameter, anauxiliary stem nonrotatably secured within the hollow portion of saidfirst-named stem; said auxiliary stem being externally threaded, and alocking element engaging said auxiliary stem and having also a threadedengagement with the portion of enlarged diameter of said main stem.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a liquidconduit, a valve casing disposed in said conduit adjacent to a wall,said casing being provided with an extension extending through anopeningin said wall, a valve disposed in said casing, a telescoping stemsecured to said valve and disposed in said extension, an escutcheondisposed about said stem and engaging against said wall, and separatemeans for securing said escutcheon in position against said wall and foradjusting the length of a said telescoping stem. V a

Signed by me, this 6th day of November, 1926. i a

LEONBLOCH.

